SAM WOLFE/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Quarterback D.J. Juste (left) of Port St. Lucie High School breaks through a tackle as he heads up the field during Friday's game against St. Lucie West Centennial at South County Stadium in Port St. Lucie.

PORT ST. LUCIE — The length of Lyle Messam's fingertips kept the Pride of Port St. Lucie trophy on the east side of U.S. 1 for one more year.

Messam scored both of Port St. Lucie's touchdowns on the ground, but it was his pass breakup of an attempted 2-point conversion with 1:59 remaining that preserved the Jaguars' 14-12 win over crosstown rival St. Lucie West Centennial on Friday night at South County Stadium.

The win was the second consecutive for Port St. Lucie, which lost the first 12 games in the series.

Following Messam's two first-half scores, Centennial (1-8) scored on Ariel Villarreal's 12-yard pass from Kevin Lowe, but the PAT was botched. Villarreal added another score on a short plunge with 1:59 remaining, forcing the Eagles to go for two for the tie.

Lowe was pressured out of the pocket and drifted to his right on the play, finally firing a pass into the end zone toward tight end Cody Trahan, who appeared open. Messam lunged toward the ball and clipped it with his fingers to keep the Jaguars (3-6) in front.

Port St. Lucie recovered the ensuing onside kick, and quarterback D.J. Juste, who rushed for 122 yards, converted a third-and-16 with a 23-yard run to allow Port St. Lucie to run out the clock.

"I just followed the quarterback around to see what he was going to do. I just got it with the tips. I'm just glad to help get the win and bring the trophy back to my school," Messam said.

Blowing second-half leads has been a problem in the past, but head coach Hilary Poole said he wasn't worried about his defense, which limited the Eagles to 23 yards in the first half while the PSL offense countered with 173.

"We kind of mentally checked out and Centennial took advantage of it. They made some great halftime adjustments that gave us trouble, but we were able to hold on. At the end of the day, Lyle Messam came up with a clutch play," Poole said.

"It doesn't get more clutch than that."

Centennial found its offense in the second half after being dormant in the first. The first scoring drive was 80 yards while the second was 79, both ending with Villarreal crossing the goal line.

"That's the way the ball bounces. We made a few adjustments and the kids decided to play football. If we'd have gotten them off the field a little more in the first half, we'd have been in better shape," Eagles head coach Ron Parker said.

"You saw how we can play in the second half, and we shut them out. It was a tumultuous year, and we're better than our record. Give PSL credit, too; they're a good football team."

Parker, whose club was district champion last year, added that he wished the playoff-bound teams good luck, saying, "I hope our area gets represented well."